Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Texans Wire

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) travel south to take on the division-leading Houston Texans (9-3) for a Week 14 matchup at NRG Stadium.

To get the scoop on the Colts’ opponent this week, Cole Thompson of Texans Wire was kind enough to join us and give some excellent intel ahead of the division matchup.

Make sure you follow Cole and Texans Wire for all of your Texans needs this week.

Colts Wire: The Texans have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL since their winning streak began. What has been the key (or keys) to sustaining their success over the last nine games?

Cole Thompson: The big thing is the defensive success. Five games … have been won by a total of (17) total points. Several games could have been won by either team, but thanks to the defense keeping offenses off the field and on short drives, Houston keeps winning.

Tyrann Mathieu is a stud and should be up for a big contract. J.J. Watt has collected 11.5 sacks after missing nearly two seasons and is up for the Comeback Player of the Year. Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus, D.J. Reader and Justin Reid are all quality players who have made an impact. Kareem Jackson is having an All-Pro year at both safety and cornerback. The Texans defense is a top-10-caliber unit and keeping the team on the winning streak.

CW: Coming off a devastating torn ACL to end his rookie season, how has Deshaun Watson looked in Year 2?

CT: It’s going better than most people would have expected. The biggest issue with Watson thus far is his inability to let go of the ball. While the Texans offensive line is doing him zero favors in the pocket, a quarterback’s job is to limit turnovers and remain on his feet.

Thanks to his improvisation skills and ability to keep drives alive, the former Clemson quarterback is having a solid season. Throwing for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns, Watson is continuing his success with Bill O’Brien and quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan. He’s not an MVP-caliber player yet but he’s pretty close to what any team would kill for in a franchise quarterback. Give it time and he’ll likely become one of the faces of the league.

CW: The offensive line has allowed the fourth-most sacks and the third-most QB hits entering this matchup. What do they need to do to better protect Watson?

CT: Protect him. Houston’s offensive line gets a bad rep but overall, they’re not as a terrible as some would make them out to be. The run offense is thriving as they currently rank third in the league. It’s all about winning the initial punch.

The Colts pass rush is young and still trying to establish themselves. Margus Hunt will be up for a battle since he’ll likely be playing in the middle. If Julie’n Davenport and Kendall Lamm can win the first battle, Houston should have enough time to hold back the Colts pass rush to allow Watson to fire a spiral downfield.

CW: Everyone knows J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, but who should Colts fans be aware of on the defensive side of the ball in this matchup?

CT: Let’s go two because they’re both really special players. While Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham are excellent linebackers, Dylan Cole can do it all. A versatile chess piece who can play the run and in coverage, Cole’s ability to wreck defenses is one few know how to prepare for. He might be in a limited role but he’ll be impactful.

Finally, for those out there that haven’t watched a Texans game this year, let’s be real. Justin Reid is one (of the steals) of the 2018 NFL Draft. The free safety has shown great ability to stop the run, cause turnovers and force interceptions. His four turnovers on the year are second among all rookies just behind Chargers safety Derwin James. The Stanford product is a star in the making.

CW: Finalscore and prediction?

CT: Earlier this week, I broke down how this game could mean more than just a win for either team. With Andrew Luck and Watt both making strong cases for Comeback Player of the Year, a big win for one is a huge loss for the other.

More importantly, Indianapolis needs this victory in order to keep their AFC South hopes alive with the Titans’ victory (over Jacksonville on Thursday night). The last time these two teams met, it came down to a play. That won’t be the case this time around as the Colts are coming in banged and bruised following their 6-0 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

With players such as Anthony Castonzo, Malik Hooker and T.Y. Hilton all questionable, Houston will need to pounce on the opportunity to pick up their 10th straight victory. Bold call, but Houston wins while Luck impresses the league more and pulls ahead in the race against Watt for the Comeback Player award.

Final: Houston 34, Indianapolis 20

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